Brad Lidge walked into the room and took a look at the assembled media throng.

"Strasburg must be pitching tonight," he joked.

Rarely does a prominent member of the Phillies fail to get top billing during a minor league rehab assignment, but this was one of those occasions. Lidge's second appearance in Reading was eclipsed by a visit from baseball's brightest future star.

Stephen Strasburg, the No. 1 overall pick by the Washington Nationals in June, made his fourth professional start in front of 3,530 fans at FirstEnergy Stadium Tuesday night.

The 6-4, 220-pound right-hander was essentially perfect. He retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced as Harrisburg blanked the R-Phils 1-0 in an Eastern League game.

The only baserunner against Strasburg was Mike Spidale, who reached on a passed ball on a third strike. The prized prospect was removed after five innings, despite not allowing a hit. He threw 64 pitches, 42 for strikes.

Strasburg expressed no disappointment at being removed while tossing a no-hitter. For a guy like him, such feats are hardly the point at this level.

"I definitely have to stick with the program here," Strasburg said. "I have to keep trying to build off the previous start. We've been really trying to work on commanding all my pitches in the strike zone, trying to get weak contact."

Strasburg succeeded Tuesday.

Only two batters hit the ball out of the infield against him. It was hard not to be impressed by the Nationals' 21-year-old ace-in-waiting.

"It's not often you see a guy throw that hard with that kind of command," Lidge said. "Hopefully our hitters will be able to figure him out when he gets called up this year."

Every conversation about Strasburg ultimately reaches the same destination. How soon until he'll play in the big leagues? There's no clear timetable, but it's safe to assume it won't be a long wait.

Despite mounting hype and out-of-this-world expectations, Strasburg has handled his transition to the minors with remarkable ease.

The first month of his professional career has been marked by overwhelming dominance. The former San Diego State star has allowed seven hits and one earned run in 171/3 innings. He has struck out 23 and walked three.

Strasburg says he's still learning at Double-A.

"You can't take anything for granted because this game is going to humble you in a heartbeat," Strasburg said.

It hasn't yet.

Strasburg has been blessed with a golden arm and a golden ticket. His first contract was worth $15.1 million. That's the price a team pays for a pitcher with a fastball in the high 90s and a plus breaking ball.

The right-hander's talent is so rare it has earned him suffocating attention. Everywhere he goes there's a TV camera, an autograph seeker or a reporter who wants to ask a question he's probably answered dozens of times before.

This is the most celebrated ascension of a prospect in baseball history.

"Obviously it's not a normal situation for a guy in his first year of pro ball," Strasburg told the roughly 40 media members in attendance. "It goes with the territory and I've accepted that."

It's the price Strasburg pays for throwing a baseball more effectively than almost everyone else who does it for a living.